The book is the first to take an indepth look
the Egyptian entrepreneurial ecosystem. It outlines how much it's
changed in the last four years and highlights the challenges
entrepreneurs have faced and the ways these obstacles can be
overcome.

A quick look at the book

With an introduction penned byinternational investorChristopher Schroeder,
the book argues that the revolution of 2011 succeeded in creating
noticeable change in the minds of youth from different cultural and
community sectors.

It includes a comprehensive analysis of all
elements of the ecosystem, from entrepreneurs who achieved success
in different sectors to working spaces and funding entities,
and discusses 17 startups and has interviews with 11
entrepreneurs.

Wasfy told Wamda they wanted the book to be a
“comprehensive guide and reference to any entrepreneur".

The book also contains the inspiring story of
Ossama Hassanein, the famous Egyptian entrepreneur who, over the
course of 40 years of working in the international tech sector,
made over $1 billion.

One particular takeaway was the comparison
Hassanein made between the local ecosystem of management, funding
and talent, with that of the US and Europe.

Takeaways from the book

How entrepreneurship has improved in
Egypt

Egypt has always been a medium for new ideas and inventions, but
very little of them had seen the light.

Now, with more awareness on the importance of
entrepreneurship, the ecosystem has developed after the private
sector started working on programs to support entrepreneurs. New
investors from Egypt and abroad have started showing interest in
startups, along withgovernment initiatives.

Despite progress in the ecosystem these past two
years, and the series of recent investments
in Egypt, there are still challenges to the entrepreneurial
path.

The challenges

- Stakeholders in the
ecosystem need to pay more attention to sectors other than the tech
industry, which still holds the lion's share of
investments.

- Egypt's
education system is deteriorating.

- Only 14 percent of
Egyptian entrepreneurs in early stage startups have higher
education qualifications, despite the fact that this number is
higher in poorer countries such as Botswana and Zambia, where 30
percent entrepreneurs have higher education
qualifications.

- When it comes to the
scarcity of female employees Egypt comes in at second place, out of
62 countries. This shrinks the ability to create job opportunities
because Egypt has a very high female participation rate in higher
education generally, and in science and engineering
specifically.

- Since Cairo is
the center of business in Egypt, entrepreneurs in others cities and
districts have to constantly travel to and from the capital to meet
clients, suppliers, directors, investors or even look for talent.
Also, Cairo is home to 35 percent of Egyptian ventures, despite
being home to 20 percent of the population.

- The government's
priorities are often focused on large-scale projects such as the
new capital and the Suez Canal, as well electricity and health
concerns, for the belief that they directly affect the daily lives
of citizens.

Startology was founded in August 2014 by Ayman
Seed, Mahmoud Wasfy and Mahinza El-Aasser.

The three cofounders see the book as the
launching of their services. They are currently seeking investments
and partnerships with private sectors "so that we can form the
first incubator specialized in the building sector", said
Saeed.

Wasfy is a civil engineer graduate, Saeed
studied electric engineering and works as marketing manager
forSchneider
Electric, and Aasser, who is a political science
graduate, works as a data analyst for IdealRatings,who provide investment solutions to ethical and Shariah
compliant leading institutions that identify responsible investment
instruments globally.

The book is available for 100 Egyptian pounds ($13
USD) in Diwan, Alef and Shorouk Libraries. It's also
available online on Amazon and Jamalon.